Suddenly, Ajina raised his voice and roared,
"This... all of this happened because of you, Torisa!"
In the next instant, he charged toward Torisa at incredible speed, his sword cutting through the air with terrifying force.
CLANG!
Just before the blade could reach its target, someone caught its razor-sharp edge with a bare hand.
Ajina's eyes widened.
Blood trickled down the hand gripping his sword.
He looked up...
It was Mara.
Without hesitation, Ajina violently yanked his blade backward.
The sharp edge tore across Mara's palm, sending fresh blood spilling onto the ground.
At that very moment...
Two mysterious figures stood atop separate buildings overlooking the scene.
Both wore white masks resembling the faces of angels.
One stood on a rooftop not far from Vashuki...
The other watched silently from the building to Ajina's left.
Then—
They leaped at the exact same moment.
From their backs spread dark, crow-like wings, casting ominous shadows over the battlefield.
Panic erupted across the area.
In an instant, Vashuki's eyes turned a brilliant shade of emerald green.
A Green Diamond Gun materialized in his hand.
The two masked figures were just about to land...
Bang!
Vashuki spun around with lightning-fast reflexes and fired.
The bullet shot across the battlefield like a streak of green light.
It struck the figure descending on Ajina's left side before his feet could even touch the ground.
The masked man froze in mid-motion.
Suddenly...
From the point where the bullet had been fired all the way to its target, a thin, glowing emerald serpent appeared.
Its long body traced the bullet's path through the air, while its venomous fangs were buried deep within the masked figure's chest.
The serpent vanished as quickly as it had appeared.
Silence fell.
Everyone stared at the unbelievable sight in shock.
Without wasting another second, Vashuki dashed forward.
He launched himself into the air with a powerful leap, raising his Green Diamond Gun once more.
He was just about to fire a second shot—
Meanwhile, the other masked figure sprinted toward Mara, unsheathing a gleaming katana.
Just as the blade was about to strike...
BOOM!
Torisa appeared in front of him like a phantom.
With a single hand, he caught the katana and snapped it in half.
In the same motion, he drove a devastating punch into the masked man's chest.
For a brief instant, the silhouette of a wolf's head appeared over Torisa's fist, roaring with savage force.
The impact hurled the masked figure backward.
At the same time, Ajina staggered a few steps back, silently watching the battle unfold.
...Am I about to hurt someone...?
The thought flashed through Vashuki's mind.
His finger loosened from the trigger.
Instead of firing, he lowered his weapon.
Unable to stop his momentum, he crashed headfirst into the masked figure he had been aiming at.
Both of them tumbled across the ground.
As Vashuki struggled to get back up...
A gigantic emerald serpent manifested behind him.
Its glowing body coiled through the air, and its cold, emerald eyes remained fixed on Vashuki, as though silently watching over its chosen master.
Moments later, the emerald glow faded from Vashuki's eyes, returning them to normal.
He looked around in confusion.
He was standing on the ground.
Not far away, Mara was supporting Ajina's injured body.
Torisa slowly turned around and glanced at the fallen masked figures.
A faint smile crossed his face.
"It seems Mophugo has grown far weaker than I expected... sending opponents like these into battle."
He then looked at Vashuki.
"Are you alright?"
Vashuki answered with a serious expression.
"Yes... but I don't know why. I fired at that man without even thinking... for no reason at all."
Mara immediately looked at him.
"Vashuki... get a hold of yourself."
At that very moment, the two masked figures spoke in perfect unison.
"Gyan Mudra."
Their bodies instantly split into countless fragments of light...
...and vanished without leaving a single trace.
Torisa's expression grew serious.
"I know exactly why this is happening."
He looked directly into Vashuki's eyes.
"Why you suddenly lose control... why your anger consumes you."
A brief silence followed.
Then he spoke in a calm yet unsettling voice.
"And let me tell you something, Vashuki..."
"Your Spirit wants something from you."